Flash giveaway! Tell me your favorite recipe(s) from JustBento

1 Mar 2013 by maki

Comments are now closed. Thank you for all of your terrific responses! The winner of the giveaway will be announced next week.

Dear JustBento readers, I need your help! I’m trying to put together a list of the most popular recipes here on JustBento. I can go by access count and all that, but I thought it would be more interesting if you told me what you like.

So, here’s the deal. Just leave a comment here stating the following:

Your name (Your full name is not necessary, just a name or nickname so I can identify you)

Your general geographic location in the world

Up to 3 favorite recipes from the site, and why you like them. Please give me the full name or the link, since some recipes have very similar names.

And that is it! One commenter picked at random will receive a signed copy of The Just Bento Cookbook, plus an additional goodie to be disclosed later.

Just a few rules and all that:

Only one entry/comment per person please. If you leave more than one (unless it’s due to a glitch in the commenting system) I’ll have to disqualify you.

Perhaps it’s a bit too obvious but…only write in recipes that are actually on the site. I’ll allow JustHungry recipes too. But if you just list any old recipe, you’re probably confused…and will be ineligible for the drawing.

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Hana here from the Midwest US! I'm just starting out with bento, but my three favorite recipes from the site are: Shrimp Tatsutaage (sooo tasty and sooo easy! It's a perfect marinade for sauteing, too!), Mini Cabbage Rolls (even my fiance who hates most Japanese food LOVED these!), and the Mini Vegan Black Bean Burgers (again, a HUGE hit with my picky fiance! He's even letting me pack them in a lunch for him, which is a Big Deal.)

Begoña, from Spain. I'm new in your blog, I didn't try anything yet, but the recipes I saw look amazing,

I write the ones I want to try soon!

Spring maze gohan: Green pea rice, Asparagus rice. Just because I love rice, Asparagus and peas ;)
1 egg tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette) Love the tamagoyaki, but I didn't know the recipe, and I want to try to made it myself.

Very Easy Marinated Chicken Skewers - Well, I love chicken and it says it's very easy. So If I want to start cooking these recipes I think it's best to start on the easy ones ;)

My two favourites are Chicken Nanban 2 ways (JustBento) and Buta no Kakuni (just hungry). Sorry, I don't know how to upload the links from my phone. I think they are pretty easy to find though and not duplicated anywhere. I get these waves of craving that just wash over me for these two foods for some reason, and I MUST make them almost immediately (within reason - I mean, who has a hunk of pork belly lying around?!). I would love to be noble and say that these make it into my bentos, but truth be told, they are usually gone before I have any leftovers :( Thanks!!!

Hi! I'm from California in the USA. I found your site when I was still new to bento lunches, and your tips and beautiful pictures on the site helped me into the bento habit-which is saying something special! I've always been a picky eater, and your range of friendly familiar foods to the increasingly different and, to me, strange, foods I have been able to broaden my culinary horizens in a healthy and fun way!

Rice is a great way to make a small meal more filling, but eating that much rice in all of my work lunches became very annoying for my American self. I got very bored with that part of my lunch and started to disengage with my bentos-sometimes opting to eat at nearby fast foods. The meat soboro mixed with my jasmine rice made it DELICIOUS again. It's easy to make and freeze for later use, making it quick and easy all week long!

Easy morning bento that makes almost no dishes! I do all the dishes at home and I hate them-really hate them. Having a fresh bento ready in twenty minutes while I get dressed and ready for work is a beautiful thing. The flavors are basic, but a healthy easy meal that is satisfying is not easy to come by. Convenience is definitely a big thing for my fellow Americans as well.

I make the apple cider vinegar version of this salad because it's sweeter. I'd never had an asian pear before making this recipe, and boy was I missing out! This recipe is a favorite of mine because it is easy, affordable, and long lasting. When cucumber costs about fifty cents each and the asian pear is say 1.50 for a larger one and I use two cucumber, I'm spending roughly three dollars on a giant bowl of yummy tangy-sweet and crispy salad that lasts just about y whole work week to throw into my bento. I work part-time, so when my hours are cut at work my grocery budget shrinks, making this recipe very helpful.

Hope that was all helpful, and thank you for this amazing free website that has helped me start eating better portions and healthier food!

Liana from Dublin. To choose 3 will be difficult, but here we go: Bento sized mini-meatloaves (so easy and so delicious, they freeze well), Spicy Lentil Snacks With Sesame Seeds (filling and like a naughty snack but I think they are healthy! great with houmous), and Broccoli with wasabi sauce (just sooo delicious and a great complement to any rice based bento or dinner).

I'm Jeanne d'Arc from Quebec, Canada! How generous of you do this giveaway. My favorite recipes from the blog are Parsnip kinpira (because I love the slight sweetness of parsnip, and being offered a substitute for that not-to-be-found burdock root is nice), Updated Inarizushi (inarizushi is long to make, but so worth it) and Shuumai Dumplings with Vegan Tofu Filling (what's not to love about dumplings?).

Cyntilla from Italy here! Being such a big fan of bento fillers and staples, my favourite recipes are:
3. Basic meat soboro. I used it when I started making bento, and it was a huge hit on my co-workers!
2. Curried kidney beans and vegetables. Never thought I could cook vegetables THAT way! Colourful and tasty, I loved it!
1. Tuna tofu miso mini burgers. The absolute winner for me! When I feel like bento and lazy at the same time, these are the solution. :-D Ready within minutes and absolutely yummy, they go well with everything and I always have all the ingredients at hand so... Why not!

I love the different and simple sauce ideas you've been providing to really make the components sing! Some of my faves are the walnut miso paste, the spicy miso (for the green asparagus), and the roasted carrot spread!

I absolutely LOVE the Pan-fried lemon chicken nuggets - they're super easy to make, and a great way to use up some leftover turkey as well. This is the first recipe I stumbled onto on your site, and it's kept me coming back for more.

The one I do the most for lunches is the Very Easy Marinated Chicken Skewers. I like the hint of lime in this one (I sometimes double the lime juice for a more exotic flavour). They're great eaten straight up, or even added to some refried rice.

1. Namul - I use it ALL THE TIME for all my CSA goodies
2. Okonomiyaki - Not bento friendly but so delicious
3. Tuna Tofu Mini-Burgers. actually all your mini burgers are great and bento friendly, but those are my current favorite.

This is Kim from Houston! Just getting into bentos here, still shopping for the perfect container. My favorite recipes are the Parsnip Kinpira (I adore parsnips!) and two easy and tasty protein dishes, Sesame Beef and Grilled Garlic Chicken Tenders. This is making me hungry!!

Hello!
I'm Spiorad and I'm from Scotland. Thankyou for making an excellent site with so many recipes!

My favourite recipes on your site are:
- The egg tamagoyaki recipe, because it's very moreish; I love it on nigiri with sweet chilli sauce and although I can never get it to fold right it's still probably my favourite Japanese recipe.
- The parsnip kinpira recipe, because I think the sweet parsnips work very well with the salty nutty taste of the seasonings (and I love parsnips)
- the vegan tofu shuumai dumplings because I love having something to do with tofu that doesn't involve big cubes of it and I think the ginger really lifts it!

I'm Rachel from Florida. I love the Spicy Lentil Snacks and Green Pea Mini Burgers because I love little portable foods that can be eaten on the go. I also love the Green Pea Rice because it's so simple, but such a good way to enhance rice.

Jasmine from Panama ! What I love about Japan is EVERYTHING! The three recipes that I love from Just Bento and Just Hungry are: Takoyaki (http://justhungry.com/takoyaki) eating this is just paradise on earth! I bought my takoyaki pan and I am really trying hard to get it perfect --> I am an amateur doing Takoyaki, but I love them! , Curry Rice aka Kareh Raisu (http://justhungry.com/japanese-beef-curry) I am ADDICTED to this! so addicted that I even modified this recipe with less ingredients and it tastes fabulous!, the last I is Tempura & Sushi (http://justhungry.com/vegetable-tempura) I love to fry veggies with this super crispy coating! Also dipping it on Crab sauce, yummy! besides of these three recipes, I always make sushi rolls using local ingredients and all I can get from Chinese combinis store (since we dont have a full japanese supplies store).

Your Egg Tamagoyaki recipe has become a mid morning staple. We also really enjoyed your recipe for Vegan Iri Dofu and Inarizushi (so good!). I have a very picky little eater and these have helped me get more eggs and tofu in him!!

Your Egg Tamagoyaki recipe has become a mid morning staple. We also really enjoyed your recipe for Vegan Iri Dofu and Inarizushi (so good!). I have a very picky little eater and these have helped me get more eggs and tofu in him!!

I madly adore the stewed sweet beans, but I think my absolute favorite thing on the site is the asparagus rice. I can't get enough of it. And the biggest lifesaver I've found is over on JustHungry, with the recipe for vegan dashi; I love it!

I'm always looking forward to a new post here, even if I'm not the best at commenting.

Just three recipes is a hard choice. I often visit your site for recipes and inspiration. I'm really enjoying the current course you're offering (and always seem to forget to upload my pictures --oopse).

I really love easy-to-make salads. I love cucumber salads and daikon radish salads. They go very well with some Vietnamese food that I make, so I always make one or the two (or both!). Then, I recently got sick and I was looking for a more interesting way of making porridge (I usually end up making really plain rice porridge), and I went through my bookmarks and found your brown rice porridge. It turned out really good. :)

I liked every recipe I've tried from your blogs, but my top favorite is definitely Tuna soboro with ginger
(http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/tuna-soboro-with-ginger)
It's so simple, you can't believe it can be so tasty, I use it in sandwiches, simply on top of a rice bowl and my personal favorite as onigiri fill.

Hi Makikio, I'm so glad justhungry and justbento are "back," more importantly, glad you are feeling better as well!
My name is Felicia, currently living in the Washington DC area.
I love your "easy" recipes for snacks or bento sides so "Easy lazy tea eggs" and "Easy sugarfree carrot kinpira" are two of my favorites, mostly because they don't require much time or super specialized Japanese ingredients :)

It's so hard to pick my top three favorites. This website has really opened my eyes up to the diversity and deliciousness of Japanese food since I started following the blog so many years ago. Here are three recipes we prepare very frequently....

When making this I tend to make it a little spicier by omitting the pepper flakes or red peppers and adding a minced habanero pepper to the oil in the early stages of cooking (thus infusing the oil with the heat from the pepper).

At my house, your karaage chicken recipe induces fits of wild, crazy dancing. What The Mr. lacks in rhythm he more than makes for in enthusiasm when he realizes that karaage chicken is on the menu. We even bought a deep fryer just for this recipe! (I was using my skillet, but the deep fryer is so much easier....). I always make a huge batch, since the leftovers are simply wonderful.